At the beginning of the residency time, as I began to discover the extraordinary diversity of items in the Museum’s collection, I felt somewhat overwhelmed. I felt I had to approach exploring the connection between inanimate objects and their past makers and owners, from closer to home. I decided to use my own memories of my grandparents to try to capture something of their individual identities. Using boxes as a simple formal physical link with the Museum, I tried to re-create my memories of my grandparents using a variety of carefully chosen objects. It was important to use the material qualities of the boxes and their contents, such as texture and smell, to hint at each individual’s character, as I remember them.

Photographer : Susannah Oliver © 2003